Absorbent articles, such as disposable diapers, training pants, and adult incontinence undergarments, absorb and contain body exudates. They also are intended to prevent body exudates from soiling, wetting, or otherwise contaminating clothing or other articles, such as bedding, that come in contact with the wearer. A disposable absorbent article, such as a disposable diaper, may be worn for several hours in a dry state or in a urine loaded state. Accordingly, efforts have been made toward improving the fit and comfort of the absorbent article to the wearer, both when the article is dry and when the article is fully or partially loaded with liquid exudate, while maintaining or enhancing the absorbing and containing functions of the article.
Some absorbent articles, like diapers, contain an absorbent polymer material (also known as super absorbent polymer). Absorbent polymer material absorbs liquid and swells. Absorbent articles may be made relatively thin and flexible when made with absorbent polymer material and thin and flexible absorbent articles may fit better and more comfortably and may be more neatly and conveniently packaged and stored. Generally, the more effective the absorbent particulate polymer material is as an absorbent, the thinner and more flexible the absorbent article containing the absorbent particulate polymer material can be.
Thus, there remains a need for even more effective absorbent polymer material and even more thin and flexible absorbent articles.